


you will always burn as bright

by achillese



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Modern Era, Post Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-21
Updated: 2013-05-21
Packaged: 2017-12-12 12:01:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/811386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achillese/pseuds/achillese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur have taken a trip to the countryside on a tour bus. There are some sights, though, that aren't on the tour's hotspots, and so Merlin intends to deviate from the agenda to show Arthur where Camelot once stood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you will always burn as bright

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by dreamingofanangel @ Tumblr.

“There’s nothing out here, Merlin. It’s just sheep and grass.”

“For once in your afterlife, will you just trust me on this one?”

Arthur grumbled something under his breath – Merlin could barely make out the part where Arthur called him ‘overbearing,’ and he smiled to himself – but the two of them continued their walk. They had taken a tour bus out into the countryside, sharing the space with tourists taking gratuitous photos with their iPhones and high-speed shutter cameras, along with a crying baby just to lock down the tourist vibe. Arthur had spent most of the ride looking back over his shoulder at the infant, as though expecting it to grow fangs and eat him alive, and Merlin couldn’t help but smirk to himself. Arthur had grown somewhat used to modernism in the two months he’d been back, but he still couldn’t handle infants. _Crying_ infants, especially. 

Eventually the bus pulled off the road and rolled to a stop on the shoulder, where the tour guide told everyone they’d have an hour to stretch their legs and eat the lunch provided by the tour company. Arthur and Merlin had both happily grabbed sandwiches before Merlin snatched Arthur’s and stuffed it in the backpack he wore around his thin shoulders, saying they’d eat them later; Merlin wanted to show Arthur something.

And so they’d started walking east. The tour guide had called out to them to make sure they were back before the bus left and Merlin waved him off; it wouldn’t take that long to get to where he wanted to go, but all the same they had to travel a good distance from the road to get there.

Arthur wasn’t too happy about it.

“Wherever you’re taking us, it can’t be much. I don’t see anything for miles,” Arthur commented, shielding his eyes from the afternoon sun. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?”

“Seriously? After everything, you still doubt me?”

“I doubt you’ve changed much over the centuries. You’re still probably an idiot.”

“And you’re still a prat, I see.”

They caught each other’s eye and smiled. None of their insults were vicious; if anything, they were coming from a place of love. 

Well, sometimes Merlin _did_ still think Arthur was a prat, but those moments were becoming fewer each day.

Finally, Merlin looked around at the flat countryside, silently calculating their position before pulling out his own iPhone. Arthur craned his neck to look at the screen from behind Merlin’s shoulder, still getting used to the new technology, but Merlin navigated Google Maps with ease. When he double-checked the little tracker on the map and made sure they were standing in the right spot, he threw his arms out to his sides.

“We’re here!” Merlin announced, albeit a little over-dramatically. 

Arthur didn’t look impressed. “Where’s ‘here’ exactly?”

“You don’t recognize it because of how much it’s changed over the centuries.”

“Recognize what?” And then, slowly, it all began to sink in. The countryside looked wildly different, but there was still an air of familiarity around them, and Arthur realized: “...This is where Camelot was, isn’t it?”

Merlin didn’t give him a straight answer, but slowly turned and walked a few yards ahead, saying, “This is where Gaius’s place used to be. And over here—” he scurried to another spot, “is where the well used to stand. I had to draw water from it every day, couple times a day.”

Merlin showed him everything. Gwen’s old home. The sparring field where the knights would practice. The stadium where they’d host tournaments. The place where Arthur’s bedroom once was. The throne room. The Round Table’s old spot. 

He saved the best for last though, and led Arthur over to a smallish boulder he’d purposely moved there a few weeks ago; he’d scouted out the area first before marking this particular spot to remind him. 

“And what’s this?” Arthur asked, pointing to the boulder. His eyes had been on the verge of tears this whole time but he’d refused to cry in front of Merlin. It had been centuries since Merlin was his servant, but some old habits die hard. 

“The boulder? Doesn’t mean anything. I just wanted to mark the place so I’d remember later.” Merlin kicked at it a little. “This is where we first met. When I tried to stop you bullying your old servant and you had me imprisoned for interfering.”

There was a moment of silence for Arthur to drink it in. 

“Good times,” Arthur finally said with a nod, but he was smiling fondly at the memory. He walked over to the boulder and sat down on it, staring out at the endless expanse of grass that lay in front of them. Merlin hesitated before sitting on the grass next to him, knees up and arms locked around them. 

The silence stretched on for a few more minutes before Merlin quietly asked, “You okay?”

Arthur’s voice cracked: “Never better.”

Merlin nibbled on his bottom lip. “So much has changed,” he said slowly, “and I know it’s overwhelming for you. But...I just want you know you’re not alone.”

Arthur opened his mouth and for a split second Merlin wondered if he were about to say something sarcastic in response, but instead, the once and future king said, “And I’m glad you’re here.”

Merlin looked up and caught Arthur’s gaze again, smiling at him. Arthur held his hand out and Merlin took it, giving it a reassuring little squeeze as Arthur held their hands in his lap and they continued to sit and look out over the land that had once been Camelot. 

They missed the tour bus.

They didn’t care.


End file.
